Amber Cove and Santo Domingo ports gain in maritime traffic
This year, for the first time, the Dominican Republic stands to break through the ceiling of one million cruise passengers, spread among several ports -- Amber Cove in Maimón, Puerto Plata, La Romana/Catalina Island, Samaná, Santo Domingo and new port Cap Cana in Punta Cana, according to a report in Seatrade Cruise online.
Amber Cove received a major boost this year after September hurricanes damaged several port destinations in the Caribbean. From 32 ship port calls in November-December 2016, the Port of Amber Cove is expected to receive 52 port calls of ships for this November-December 2017.

Cap Cana, in the Punta Cana area, also received new ship arrivals by ships that were reprogrammed after damages suffered to their original port of calls in the Caribbean.

The publication highlights how the restored areas of the Colonial City of Santo Domingo have been attracting much cruise ship attention. Port calls to the Port of Santo Domingo have nearly doubled its passenger count in three years, from about 80,000 in the 2014/15 season to more than 150,000 projected in the current 2017/18 season.

According to Jaime Castillo, executive director of Sansouci Ports, “We're getting calls from many different lines. They're giving Santo Domingo a second look after all the investments in the Colonial City. Last season, for example, Carnival Cruise Line came back for the first time in many years, with visits by Carnival Splendor and Carnival Conquest.”

This season TUI Cruises' newest ship, Mein Schiff 6, will visit, and Holland America Line is returning after a gap, with Prinsendam. Marella Cruises' Celebration and Viking Ocean Cruises' Viking Sea recently called, and Oceania Cruises' Insignia plans an overnight stay on 30 December as part of a Cuba voyage.

Pullmantur has been making partial turnarounds for several years. This year Zenith is operating full turnarounds from Sansoucí terminal.

Grupo Posadas builds Grand Fiesta Americana in Bavaro
President Danilo Medina was in Punta Cana for the ground breaking of the 554 room Grand Fiesta Americana Punta Cana Los Corales. The resort will be built in the centrally-located Bavaro Beach section of Punta Cana, some 20 minutes from the Punta Cana International Airport. The all-inclusive resort is expected to open in 18 months and calls for a US$130 million investment. It is the first hotel to be operated by Posadas de Republica Dominicana.

Visiting for the ground breaking were company executives Geovanny Ricotti and José Carlos Azcárraga, director general and Mauricio Elizondo of Grupo Posadas, the leading Mexican hotel company with 150 hotels and more than 24,000 hotel rooms under seven brands.

Grupo Noval to build two more developments in Punta Cana
Fabio La Rosa, chairman of Grupo Noval, announced two more residential developments for the group in the Punta Cana area. The Cana Pearl residential development with 200 units in different phases is located on the Cana Bay Golf Course in northern Punta Cana. The 1-2- and 3-bedroom residences will have vistas to the lake, countryside and sea with access to a private beach club, all nearby to the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana in the Macao Beach area.

A second Paseo Playa Coral will be located between Barcelo and Melia hotels in the Bavaro area with 76 one-bedroom apartments and beach club.

Excellence Punta Cana reopened after renovation
Excellence Punta Cana has reopened in Punta Cana after an investment of US$45 million. The 446-room all-inclusive deluxe hotel now has a new beach-front pool, and renovations to rooms include a new design and furnishings for a more Caribbean feel.